For The Love Of Magic
by TracyCook
Summary: Bethany hears something in the woods one night camping on Sundermount, she finds Merrill who is broken up about everything and after helping her out their entire relationship changes.  Merrill/Bethany Femslash!
1. Midnight Meetings

For The Love Of Magic

By: TracyCook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creator of Dragon Age 2.

Couple: Merrill/Bethany

Rating: M

Chapter 1

Midnight Meeting

The group of travelers had set up camp deep in the woodlands, atop Sundermount. Upon arriving in the mountains, the Elven race had not been the most accepting of them. They did not want the humans staying in their land for an extended period of time, but because they were there on a mission to save one of their kind, they had made an exception.

Most of the others in her group had been focused on how the Dalish were treating them, but honestly Bethany had expected as much. They still carried a deep grudge toward all of humankind because of the past. What shocked her more than how they had treated their group was the way that the elves had treated one of their own.

Bethany stared up at the stars as she thought about the young Dalish elf that had joined their party for the mission. She was to be their guide through the caves.

She attempted numerous times to figure out why they treated her as such, why they separated her from the group, why they cast her out. She could sense that Merrill had the gift of magic. _'Or rather the curse of magic…' _She internally berated the powers that she possessed and the damage that they had caused her and her family. That alone was not enough to make the other elves hate her, magic was not hated in their clans, so she assumed that it must be dark magic that she possessed.

"There must be something so evil inside of the poor girl to prompt them to disown her." Bethany muttered out to herself, sadly. She too had considered using her gift to kill the ones who destroyed her kind, but she had not fallen into the dark arts.

Still, she could fully comprehend the temptation.

When Bethany had met the young elf, she had sensed a demonic presence. Being a mage herself, she understood that the powers that were to be used for good could easily be used for evil. But, she could tell that Merrill was not evil. She had been tempted to use blood magic for some reason or another, she could tell by her fidgety shifty attitude and her large bloodshot eyes, but she was not trying to hurt anyone.

Whatever her reasoning was for using the dark arts, she thought she was doing good with this power. Unbeknownst to her, blood magic could never be used for good because it corrupted her each and every hour of the day.

Within time she would be destroyed by the power.

It was an age old tragic tale of the woman who was driven mad with power whilst attempting to save the world. Bethany wished that she could save the innocent elven woman.

"It is not my place though. I need to focus on saving my family." She reminded herself aloud as her beautiful hazel eyes glanced from star to star. They shined so brightly when they were in the mountains and away from civilization. It was beautiful.

Letting out a soft sigh she rolled over onto her side, resting her cheek against her arm for support against the dirt and gravel. She cast her eyes toward her sister, Hawke, who was sleeping beside the bright fire. Her sister was an admirable woman. She had done so much for her, and for her family, during their travels from Ferelden to Kirkwall.

Bethany had broken down as she watched their brother Carver get killed by the ogre in the wilds, but her sister had not. She was so strong through it all, through every single battle, emotional and physical. Truthfully, Bethany had never felt that she lived up to her sister's expectations. She was a mere mage with simple magic abilities, nothing like her. Regardless, she always gave her all and tried her hardest to measure up.

Suddenly, she sat up straight, throwing her covers from her body. She could have sworn that she had heard something moving around in the foliage surrounding the campgrounds.

Bethany stood to her feet and reached for the staff that was resting against one of the large rocks beside her sleeping bag. Standing completely still, she listened closely for the direction of the movement, debating on whether she should wake her sister or not. If it were just a single enemy she could probably kill it alone.

Her ears perked up as she heard the sound again, it was coming from the North.

Glancing back over her shoulder at her sister who was still peacefully sleeping, Bethany let out a soft sigh and decided to let her rest. She needed to regain her energy and she was certain that she could handle it.

She started toward the sound, remaining as quiet as possible.

As she reached the origin-point of the sound she crept slowly toward it, watching her footing in order to ensure that she did not snap any twigs and alert the enemy to her presence. Her best attack approach would be to kill it with her magic without its knowledge.

The sound of crying sobered her fears; she was now worried instead of frightened for their safety. She immediately recognized the accent as one of the Dalish, they all sounded similar and unique in their way of speech. Slowly, she made her way closer to the sounds and she noticed that the sound was coming from none other than Merrill.

She was sitting on a log in the middle of a clearing in the forest, looking down into her shaking hands, large green eyes filled with tears that fell down her tattoo covered cheeks.

Bethany's heart shattered at the sight. No one should ever look so vulnerable and broken.

"Oh gods…" She whispered out softly to herself.

Having better hearing than a human due to her elongated ears, the elf hastily wiped the tears away from her pale cheeks and forced a smile onto her lips, turning to see who was standing behind her. Although, she was fairly sure that she already knew who the voice belonged to. It was the beautiful young human mage that was in her party.

"Aneth ara, Bethany." She said.

It made Bethany smile knowing that Merrill felt close enough to her to actually use the greeting that was traditionally only shared amongst the Dalish. "Hello, Merrill." She said gently as she made her way over to the log, taking a seat beside her. Turning she allowed her hazel eyes to wander over the other's pale face and puffy eyes.

When silence began to overtake the two women, the babbling elf felt the need to fill in the awkward silence. She looked toward Bethany and asked her, "What are you doing out here all alone tonight? It is dangerous—oh! Not that you are not strong enough to take care of yourself or to wander off alone I was simply curious, I suppose I'm a hypocrite asking such a thing. I'll shut up now." She giggled and nervously glanced away from the dark eyes that were watching her as she rambled.

"Well, I am not necessarily alone Merrill. You are here with me." Bethany pointed out in a caring tone of voice, a genuine smile gracing her features. She found it cute that the other rambled when she was anxious. _'Wait, did I just think of her as cute…? That is rather peculiar…'_

"That is true." She said quickly. "You are here with me, and I am here with you, therefore neither of us are alone." Merrill reiterated the obvious, offering a smile in return. It was not often that she felt safe, but under those beautiful hazel eyes and that perfect smile, she did.

It was nice feeling as though she could speak openly about anything without receiving any judgment, this feeling was a pleasant change from the other people in the human world. Even the elves judged her on occasion.

Bethany laughed and shook her head at her friend. Sometimes, it seemed that Merrill could be so naïve that it was like talking to a child. Yet, she found that she liked this quality in her.

"Very true."

For a moment they both sat in a comfortable silence, neither able to find the right words to express what they wanted to say, neither of them even knowing what it was that they wanted to say. Bethany wanted to ask the elf why she had been crying, but she did not wish to be too forward with her. It was not her place to impose. They were not all that close after all.

After a moment of pondering these thoughts, the human decided to simply speak her mind. "Merrill, I saw you before."

"Oh." She whispered out softly. "That—I-I was simply—" She babbled, her accented voice trailing off at a loss of explanation.

"You were crying." Bethany finished the sentence for her, reaching out and placing a hand over the other's cold thin hand, trying her best to comfort her with the action and show her that she was there for her. Oddly enough, Merrill's face darkened with a blush and her breathing picked up. Bethany just assumed that she was not used to the physical contact. _'Why else would she react that way?' _

"I would really like to know why you were crying, Merrill."

Her hands started to shake as she tried to think of how to explain all of the conflicting emotions and feelings that were running through her mind. They made her feel chaotic. Suddenly, she felt a thumb brush against her hand and her blush deepened as she realized that the brown eyed mage was stroking her hand. She found it oddly soothing. Along with this soothing sensation, there was another sensation that shot through her body, warming her. It was almost a romantic feeling, but that could not be possible, they hardly knew each other.

Letting out a breath that she had not known she had been holding, the elven woman started explaining her feelings to the best of her ability.

"I am terrified, Bethany. I don't want to put you all in danger. My people have completely abandoned me and have made me feel like what I am doing is a terrible mistake, but I know it is for the best. I must know about our past, it is the only way to save my kind. Still, it kills me knowing that they do not want me around—and the human lands—" She paused and glanced over at the brunette, laughing a little, "—aren't what I had expected at all."

Bethany nodded and smiled. "Yes, I understand that the city is nothing like this mountaintop." She continued to stroke Merrill's finger with her thumb as she spoke. "Sometimes I wish that I could get away from the hustle and bustle, the terrible water, and the crowds, and simply come up here and watch the stars."

"Oh, how I love the stars." She said, her green eyes widening with awe and her voice full of marvel as she glanced up at the sparkling dots that littered the dark sky.

"As do I." Bethany said with laughter on her tongue as she looked over to watch the childish elf staring up at the sky and kicking her feet against the log. Her face appeared so innocent, it nearly broke her heart. How was it possible that someone so small and defenseless could have such a heavy burden to carry on her shoulders?

Turning her hazel eyes once again to the sky she smiled and squeezed down gently on Merrill's hand.

"Thank you for coming out here." Merrill breathed out as she leant her head against the other woman's shoulder.

Bethany's heart started to race quickly, as she felt heated breath rush against her shoulder and the exposed flesh of her neck. It surprisingly caused a shiver to rush down her spine and her body to shake. She did not understand why she was suddenly having all of these feelings toward another woman. She had never found women or elves particularly attractive prior to this. "To be honest, I thought that you were a fiend."

"True, but you still stayed long after you found out I was not a monster, and I thank you for that." She said in a happy, but dreary voice. Her eyes started to close and she felt the need for sleep start to consume her body.

Laughing softly under her breath, Bethany closed her eyes and smiled contentedly. "You are very welcome Merrill."

For just a few minutes they sat there, finding comfort and safety in each other's closeness. The young mage even resisted the urge to place a kiss upon the elf's forehead. As she realized what she was about to do, she halted herself. "We should probably get back to the campgrounds."

"Ooh! But I was so comfortable, you have very soft shoulders." Merrill whined out childishly.

Shaking her head, Bethany stood to her feet and turned to face the beautiful elven woman who was now wearing a pout on her lips. "Thank you, I think." She laughed. "Now, come on. We need our rest if we are to climb this mountain in the morn."

"Oh, alright, if you insist." She said, standing to her feet and walking alongside the other woman.

Both women started to head back toward the campgrounds, when suddenly Merrill nearly tripped over her own feet. She felt a soft and warm hand take ahold of her own and she knew that it belonged to Bethany. The simple skin on skin contact brought a smile to her face and a blush to her cheeks and the tips of her ears. Merrill had not smiled so much in quite some time, also she found that her mind was no longer racing with worries when Bethany was touching her, it was as if they were the only ones that existed.

She noted that Bethany never let go of her hand.

Once they reached the campsite, hazel eyes glanced toward green before darting down to their hands that were still connected. Bethany hastily broke the contact and blushed brightly as she spoke up. "Well then, goodnight Merrill."

Yet, as she turned to leave the elf alone to rest, she felt a hand reach out and grasp her own, tugging her back.

"Stay with me?"

D

Authors Note: 6,000 fanfics for this game and this is the first for this couple! Gasps! I feel so crazy for writing this haha. Maybe y'all will not appreciate and love this couple like I do, but I hope that you guys do! Please leave me some reviews to encourage me to keep on writing if you like it, because I doubt it will be all that popular. :p

-Tracy Cook


	2. The Morning After

For The Love Of Magic

By: TracyCook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creator of Dragon Age 2.

Couple: Merrill/Bethany

Rating: M

Chapter 2

The Morning After

That morning Bethany awakened to a feeling that she had not awakened to on many prior occasions, there was warmth covering her body. It did not feel like the humidity and heat of the mountain air on a summer's day, but instead it was a comfortable and inviting warmth.

Slowly she allowed her hazel eyes to open just enough to find the source of the heat, cracking her eyes open just a sliver she caught sight of what was transmitting the strange sensation, and her eyes immediately widened in shock as she recalled the night before. She could remember leaving the campgrounds and finding Merrill crying, and then talking with her, before agreeing to stay with her in her sleeping bag until she fell asleep.

Only, it appeared that she had never left.

It was not that she had stayed with Merrill that alarmed her, but it was more so how close the two of them currently were. The young elf was nuzzling against her breasts, her thin arms wrapped tightly around her body, and her legs were twisted up in her own. A bright blush rose along Bethany's cheeks as she watched the other sleep.

Bethany smiled softly as she realized just how nice that it was to have someone holding her again. She had spent so many years alone, not being courted by anyone, she had missed it. This caused her to entertain the thought of savoring the contact just a moment longer. Just as she was closing her eyes to get comfortable in Merrill's arms, she felt something and her eyes snapped open.

'_What was that?' _She thought to herself. Bethany had felt something brush up against her womanhood, causing a pleasurable feeling to travel through her body. Quickly, she caught her breath, not wanting to make any sounds. _'Is that—is that her leg!?'_

Merrill moved once more in her sleep and pressed her knee firmly against the other woman's heated center. _'Yes, that is most definitely her leg… okay, now I have to get up.' _Despite the way that her mind was screaming at her to move, to push the elf away, to do anything, Bethany could feel desire building up inside of her, and with another brush of her leg against her center she felt the need to stay where she was and enjoy it.

The responsible side of her mind nagged at her though, reminding her that this was wrong. _'You cannot take advantage of her while she is sleeping… Wake her up. Wake her—ahh gods that feels so good.'_

"Mmm…" She moaned out softly, biting down on her bottom lip to stifle the unwanted sound.

"What is this?" A voice drew her attention away from the pleasure and away from Merrill, she recognized the voice, it belonged to her sister. She glanced up and saw the angry and serious look in her sister's eyes and immediately moved the female elf off of her before climbing to her feet.

"Nothing, it—it is nothing." Bethany affirmed as she dusted off her clothing nervously and tried to suppress the blush that painted her cheeks.

"Didn't look like nothin' to me, looked more like the little Daisy over here received a bit more Sunshine than we're used to seein'." Varric stated, laughing a little at his own joke, of course he would find the situation humorous. The irony of their nicknames only served to further agitate the mage as well.

"Oh will you both please be quiet, nothing happened between the two of us. She was simply worried last night and I held her that is all." Her voice shook as she informed them of what had happened. She did not care for what they were insinuating.

All of them were interrupted as they heard a certain sleepy accented voice. Turning they watched as Merrill rubbed the sleep out of her large green eyes before opening them and peering up at the group. "Bethany?" Sitting up, a pout formed on her lips as she continued to stare up at them, at Bethany in particular. "Why did you leave? I was so comfortable lying against those soft shoulders of yours." Her voice appeared completely innocent.

"Shoulders?" Varric teased with a devious smirk. "Is that what they're calling them these days? Guess I need to catch up with the times." He winked at Bethany whose face turned a brighter shade of red. Both of them knew exactly which soft part of her body the elf had been snuggling up against in her sleep, and it was not her shoulders.

"Can we just go? We have someone to save, remember?" Hawke asked, although her tone was demanding more than questioning.

"Of course." Bethany agreed, nodding her head and moving to collect her belongings and readying herself for the battles that they would encounter once they entered the caves.

Merrill made no haste in getting prepared to enter the caves. Taking a moment to stretch out her long thin arms, she let out a loud yawn, her ears twitching. It had been ages since she had slept as well as she had last night. The only other time that she could really think of was when the Keeper would sing to her. If Bethany would allow her to, she may have to bunk with her more often.

Finally, when everyone else was impatiently waiting on her to get ready, she stood to her feet and acquired her weapon.

The four of them started toward the mountaintop where the caves were located, their mission was to go into the caves and save a young elf child who had gotten kidnapped. Bethany found that a certain elven woman seemed to be following her around like a puppy after what had happened last night. She did not really mind, although the suggestive looks from Varric and her sister were starting to get on her nerves.

Still, she did not mind.

Feeling her body being bumped from the side, hazel eyes caught hold of excited green. It had of course been Merrill who had bumped into her.

"Last night was so amazing, wasn't it?" Merrill questioned with a bright smile. "I haven't slept so well in ages. Hopefully I am not being too forward, but I would really love to sleep with you again sometime." Of course she said whatever popped into her mind, despite how it might sound to others. Bethany wondered if she were even remotely aware of how suggestive what she had said sounded.

Nervously, she glanced away. "Merrill…"

"Oh no, did I say something wrong? I am terribly sorry. I always say the wrong thing. It is just that I thought that maybe you enjoyed sleeping with me as much as I enjoyed sleeping with you. I won't bring it up again." Once again she rambled out an apology, feeling that her actions had been inappropriate, and once again Bethany found it utterly adorable.

"_I do not understand how it is possible that someone is capable of being so cute…' _She thought to herself as she smiled and corrected the other. "Do not apologize, I did enjoy it."

"Ooh, I just knew that you enjoyed it as much as I did!" Merrill announced with a bright smile and a glimmer in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Bethany's waist, pulling her body closer to her own.

As much as she wanted to be annoyed with the contact between herself and the green eyed elf, she found herself leaning against her body and laughing. Honestly, it was nice to see the other mage with happiness and hope shimmering behind her eyes, opposed to the natural worry and sorrow that filled them. It was even nicer knowing that she had been the one to put it there. This realization made Bethany feel oddly special.

The happiness drained from her body and the smile fell from her face as she witnessed what was waiting for them at the top of the mountain. There was a group of armor clad male Templars arguing with an elf.

"He took my daughter!"

"We don't care about your daughter, elf!" The Templar spat back.

Bethany found herself growing angry for a multitude of reasons. Naturally, she always hated the Templars because of what they had done to her and her family and how they had made her life a living hell, but now she was also growing upset with how they were treating the elven kind. She found herself growing even more protective of their race because of Merrill.

The Templar glanced over at the group, his eyes shining with excitement as he spoke to the approaching travelers. "Lookie, Lookie, what we have here, two apostates."

"Lookie, Lookie, what we have here, a group of brainwashed Templars." Bethany taunted the men in return.

Hawke quickly moved between the two of them, standing in front of her sister in a defensive stance, staring the Templar down. It seemed that she was constantly sticking her neck out to protect the mage, and it almost made her sister feel guilty. As if she were a burden to the other woman. She was fully capable of taking care of herself.

"Leave my sister alone. We have business here." Hawke said looking toward the male elf. "Is it your daughter that we are to save?" She questioned assertively.

"Yes, yes, she was dragged away by a large man. He has killed many of our children in the past and I fear for her safety."

"That "large man" is very important and I recommend that you do not get in his way." The leading Templar half advised and half threatened the group.

Before Hawke had a chance to speak, her sister had stepped in front of her taking control of the situation. She was surprised by this bold move on Bethany's part. "You want us to just ignore the young elf he is about to kill and go on our merry way, simply to appease you?"

"That would be preferred." He sneered.

"Out of our way, Templar." She spat the last word as if it were a curse.

He laughed right in her face before gripping ahold of her arm tightly, practically lifting her off of the ground with one hand. "Did you hear what this apostate just said to me?"

"Leave her alone!" Hawke shouted out as she moved toward him, but she was held back by one of the Templars.

Merrill looked from one sister to the other, her green eyes filled with anger and worry as she watched the way that the man spit in Bethany's face and the way that he held her arm. It was likely that he would leave bruises on her perfect flesh. There was no way that she was going to allow that to happen. Even though she knew that she was rather thin and did not have much to offer in the strength department, she walked toward them practically growling out. "Let her go."

It shocked everyone hearing the usually carefree elf speak in such a manner.

"What is this we have here? Do you really think that you can protect her?" As he asked this, another Templar wrapped the female elf in his arms holding her tightly, trapping her in place.

The leader continued moving closer to the woman that he was holding, sniffing along her long neck as his free hand fondled her breasts. "I think that I will have some fun with this dirty mage whilst you watch, that is what I think."

Bethany was squirming and thrashing in an attempt to get away from the man, she was disgusted and hated the way that it felt having him touch her in such a way. She had rarely allowed anyone to do so and he was imposing himself on her, it made her stomach twist and nearly induced vomit.

Merrill found herself growing so upset with what he was saying, that he was touching the woman that she wanted and had grown fond of overnight, that she dug her nails deep into the palms of her hands. She could feel blood filling her palms, dripping down her fingertips, and she knew that it was enough to cast a spell of the darkest kind. Her eyes grew red and blood shot as she focused all of her anger toward the man and started chanting.

With no control over his body the Templar found himself releasing the mage, his limbs all straightening out. He watched as his arms and legs moved of their own free-will and he glared over at Merrill.

"Let me go, mage, or I swear to you—"

He did not get a chance to finish the sentence as he was thrown from the mountaintop. It was not a stumble nor was it a trip; he was literally thrown through the air slamming against the rocks at the bottom of the mountain. If he were dead, the elf would have laughed, because as far as she was concerned he deserved so much worse with how he had treated Bethany and all mages alike.

Now terrified, both of the other Templars let go of their hostages and started backing away from the mage.

"Never touch her again or I swear to you both I will make you regret it." It was almost frightening how such an innocent woman could change into something so horrifying, all to protect Bethany, and as she was enveloped in thin protective arms she could not help but once again feel special.

Still, there was blood magic involved, and that terrified her.

D

Authors Note: Actually got 4 reviews which was a little shocking, in a great way! So, I decided I would add another chapter soon. :) Hopefully this one will not be a disappointment, and y'all will tell me what you think. I know it's an odd couple but I love hearing feedback even negative and ideas in order to make my stories what people enjoy reading. So please feel free to tell me whatever y'all think about it!

I am telling you now I have about 20 multi-chapters going so reviews will be necessary to continue adding. I hate bribing because it is mean, but I have to do it sometimes when things aren't all too popular. Sorry. :/

-Tracy Cook


	3. Through The Caves

For The Love Of Magic

By: TracyCook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creator of Dragon Age 2.

Couple: Merrill/Bethany

Rating: M

Chapter 3

Through The Caves

Hawke had to kill the remaining Templars, of course, that was the only way to protect them. Regardless of understanding the reasoning, Bethany could not help but wonder and worry that it would come back to haunt them later. After all, they were sent on a mission to protect the man that they were about to kill, this man had to be someone of importance if the Templars were protecting him, and it would probably get back to the people in charge.

Letting out a soft sigh she stretched out her aching limbs. Some people would believe that being a mage was not as much work as being a warrior or a rogue, but it took a lot out of her. The energy required to cast a spell was draining and without rest it took a toll on her health.

They had killed many monsters in the cave and she was growing exhausted more so by the minute.

"You okay there?" Merrill asked in a high-pitched curious voice which caused the human mage to jump in shock, earning some soft giggles from the adorable elf standing beside her. "You are just about as cute as a kitten in a garden." She commented with a grin.

"Yes, I am quite alright. I just have a lot on my mind." Bethany said with a soft smile as she met Merrill's eyes with her own. She allowed the compliment to pass without a comment although she was incapable of hiding the blush that it caused to taint her cheeks. She was not used to being called cute.

"Like?" The young female elf stretched the word curiously.

Bethany shook her head at the other's persistence, smiling brightly. It seemed that Merrill could always bring a smile to her lips no matter how discouraged or confused she was. "Well, those Templars and what they were protecting, first of all."

"And?" She pried, obviously looking for a specific answer to her question.

She laughed and added, "And what will happen if the Chantry finds out."

"And?"

"You are insatiable."

"I prefer to call it persistent." She pointed out.

Bethany laughed and decided to simply tell Merrill what it was that she wanted to know. "That it is. Alright, if you must know, you have been on my mind as well."

Merrill feigned shock at this comment, but the devious glint in her eyes and the smirk on her lips told the human that she was not ignorant. "Me? What could you possibly be thinking about lil ol' me for?" She asked in a teasing voice as she rested her head against Bethany's shoulder. She had never been taught what touches were inappropriate or appropriate in the human world; so instead, she did whatever came naturally to her. When it came to Bethany she wished to be as close to her as possible.

Bethany smiled and blushed a bit at how straightforward the elf was being with her. Part of her wished to deny the reasoning for thinking about her, because she did not know what it meant, she did not know if she wanted to start a romantic relationship with Merrill. Still, she also wished to be honest with her.

"I was thinking about last night and how wonderful it was." Her voice came out a whisper; she was not prepared for the others to know yet. They teased, but none of them actually thought that she had feelings for Merrill.

"Last night?" She questioned in a naïve tone of voice, her smile spreading even further across her face. "Oh, yes, you mean the cuddling? Yes that was quite nice I have to agree."

Hazel eyes widened at the words and she started to laugh once more. She could not help but once again think about how adorable Merrill's childish innocent side was; it was not something that you found often in humans. In fact she had never met a human who could look at anything and everything positively, despite all of the darkness that haunts their life. Which, she had a creeping suspicion that the elf had a lot of darkness haunting her after finding her crying the previous night.

"That it was." She agreed. It had been amazing.

"So, what does that mean then? I mean, it was very nice, very nice indeed, so then what does it mean for us? Are we now a couple? Are we in love? Ooh I have never been in love, this is so exciting!" The female elf started to ramble overly-excitedly.

Bethany looked to the other members of their group as she attempted to silence Merrill's babbling. "Shh… Merrill." This immediately served to shut the elf up. Now her large green eyes had grown in size, she looked like an ogre caught in the flames of a dragon, terrified.

"I'm sorry."

Quickly she tried to alleviate the situation, she did not mean to hurt Merrill's feelings or make her feel bad. She just was not prepared to tell everyone. "Oh gods, please do not apologize Merrill, I should be the one apologizing. I did not mean to get so upset, I just—I am not sure what this means for the two of us Merrill, I have never been in love either." She admitted.

"I see." She whispered out, afraid to sound excited again. She did not wish to further upset Bethany. "Well, I suppose that we could figure this out together then?"

Bethany appeared to think it over for a moment as she looked over her shoulder at the other people in their party. They were both watching them closely. Varric wore an all-knowing smirk and her sister wore a protective scowl as she stared at Merrill. She could tell that this was not going to be easy, but it could be worth it. She loved being around the elf and she had loved the night they shared.

She had to try at the very least.

Looking back to those hopeful green eyes, she could not deny that she wanted more than anything to kiss the beautiful elven woman and see where it led. Bethany decided then and there that she would ignore what anyone else would think, humans, elves, dwarves, and Templars, and she would go for it. Despite all of the troubles they would undoubtedly have.

"Yes, I suppose so."

Merrill let out a sigh of relief; she had been worried that Bethany would pull away from her. "Oh thank goodness! This is going to be so much fun! Can I kiss you now?"

Hazel eyes widened and she blushed brightly at the question, she had not been expecting her to be so straightforward. A kiss was supposed to come naturally, not be something that you were asked to share with someone, it was embarrassing. Glancing away she focused on their mission and ignored the pleas of the elf. As much as she wanted to kiss her, this did not seem the appropriate time.

For once, Bethany was thankful to see a monster. It seemed that almost dying was more comforting than the thought of kissing Merrill. Not that it was something that she did not wish to do; she was just not ready to do so yet. So, ignoring the question, she turned and muttered a spell under her breath before casting an ice spell in the direction of one of the monsters.

D

Authors Note: Sorry about the accent I am not too knowledgeable about what Merrill's clan's name is and all elves do not speak with the same accent so I could not simply call it elven… :/ I know it is Welsh because of the voice-actress but I apologize for making any mention of it at all, I did not mean for it to divert so much from the actual story itself…

Anyhow another chapter for y'all shorter than the last but they talked kind of about things, and there was some fighting… I hope y'all like. Reviews will put this story again at the top of my list. :) Thank you ALL for the love! Y'all are amazing!

-Tracy Cook


	4. Sweet Kisses

For The Love Of Magic

By: TracyCook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creator of Dragon Age 2.

Couple: Merrill/Bethany

Rating: M

Chapter 4

Sweet Kisses

"Are you avoiding kissing me?" Merrill asked softly as she trudged along behind Bethany, watching her closely, inspecting each and every move in hopes to understand what had happened to change her feelings. She did not understand what she had done to upset the human. She seemed embarrassed or something of the sort.

"No Merrill." Bethany stated in a hushed tone laced in agitation, as she focused on throwing another fireball at one of the giant spiders that were threatening to eat them for supper. Apparently, the innocent elf found little concern in their impending doom; for all that she had talked about for the entire adventure toward the center of the cave, was how badly she wanted to kiss her.

She was fairly certain that the other woman had a death wish. She did not seem scared at all, in fact half of the time she did not seem to notice the spiders at all and Bethany had to save her.

Worst of all though, was not the extra monsters that she had to kill, but instead that Merrill insisted upon talking loudly about wanting to kiss her. It was embarrassing and she was almost certain that Varric and her sister already knew about their feelings for one another. Bethany knew that it should not matter to her, but it did. She did not know if she wanted to be with a female elf. As if she did not have enough problems being a mage.

Merrill skipped along beside her, watching as she defeated another spider. "It seems to me that you are. Though, I am no expert on human mating, I do believe that exchanging of kisses is a common practice, is it not?" She asked her voice high and a smile spreading across her face at the simple thought of sharing a kiss with her beloved.

The elven female had never experienced love before, she had never even kissed anyone before, and so she was fully convinced that what she was feeling had to be love. It felt amazing. At least it had, before Bethany had started to avoid her.

Bethany was growing more and more frustrated, as she lunged another fireball at one of the attacking spiders, watching it burn and curl up as it died.

Once they seemed to be out of harm's way, she cast her hazel eyes in the direction of the slender woman and her breath caught in her throat at the sight. What she saw was possibly, and probably, the cutest sight in the entire world. There stood Merrill looking up at her with large hopeful eyes and a pout on her lips. She looked so innocent and it was apparent that she was truly feeling neglected. _'She is so naïve… does she not understand how difficult this situation is, not to mention that we are being attacked!?'_

"Merrill, we have much we need to discuss before jumping into a relationship." She informed.

"Like what?" Merrill asked cocking her head to the side and looking up at her with large confused green eyes. "I like you, you like me, what more is there that we need to discuss?"

"I may be mistaken Daisy, but I think that you two need to discuss letting the dwarf watch you two kiss, so that he can tell everyone at The Hanged Man, because that would be quite the story to tell." Varric said, laughing. His laughter only intensifying as he witnessed the glare that Bethany shot his direction.

Merrill glanced down at Varric and then back at Bethany, surprise evidently written across her face. That was not something that she wanted to do. She did not wish to share her love with other people's eyes, even if they were nice eyes such as the dwarf's.

"Oh my! That isn't what we need to speak about, is it Bethany? Because, I don't know how comfortable I would be with that situation. Though, if it means that I get to kiss you then I suppose I—"

"—No, Merrill." The human mage stated with a slight grin as she shook her head at the adorable elf. "That is not what we need to discuss."

"Oh thank goodness, because I do not really feel up to sharing my lover with prying eyes." Merrill stated, glaring at the dwarf who continued to laugh at the conflict that he had caused. It was entertaining to mess around with the two innocent women.

"Don't worry Daisy, she's all yours." He said with a grin.

"Good." She nodded. Turning her attention back to the woman of her affections she spoke. "Now, what did we need to discuss? Is it about my snoring? Because I swear that I can stop that, I know how it must irritate you so."

"Your snoring?" Bethany questioned, she could not even begin to comprehend how Merrill had thought that was what they needed to discuss. It was completely off-topic.

Honestly, at times it was difficult to talk with the elf about things, because she always assumed that it was something else. Usually she thought that it was something very far off from what you were actually thinking; something that she thought that she had done wrong, which, in this case, she had done nothing wrong. Bethany simply was having worrisome thoughts.

"Yes, I was afraid after sleeping next to me the other night you might have found it annoying, but I swear that I can stop!" She stated with conviction. "I've devised a plan. I am going to stuff something up my nose and that should stop it, or it might stop my breathing." She seemed to take a moment to ponder something as she rambled on to herself. "Oh gosh, I am rambling again aren't I?"

Laughing softly under her breath, Bethany reached out placing comforting hands on Merrill's arms, holding her still and halting her rambling. As cute as she found it, they did actually need to talk about some things. Still, she thought it best that they waited until they were out of danger.

Merrill stared up into hazel eyes and blushed brightly as she was forced to stand still by the other woman. "Oh my, are you going to kiss me now? Because I would very much appreciate it if you did." Her voice was practically pleading.

Bethany sighed. "Merrill, I hardly think that this is the place for our first kiss. It is not romantic in the slightest, not to mention we could be killed any moment."

"Please, just a tiny kiss?"

"Merrill—"

"Please?"

Finally, Bethany decided to stop being stubborn and to give in to what they both wanted. She doubted that they would die if it were only a tiny kiss. Leaning in she moved to press her lips against the elven woman's soft lips, taking in their texture and their taste as she did so.

It was intoxicating and she could not help but blush brightly as she felt the eyes of the others watching the two of them. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears as she felt slender fingers twist in her brown locks. Bethany moved to wrap a hand around the back of Merrill's thin neck, dragging her body closer to her own as she teased the sensitive skin of her neck. Both girls found themselves letting out soft moans into the kiss as their bodies started to react.

Bethany had no intention of pulling away, and she wouldn't have, if she had not heard Varric whistling in the background. She grew flush with embarrassment and pulled back, pressing her head against the other's tattoo covered forehead, smiling and staring down into dazed and sparkling green eyes.

Merrill wore the most adorable and satisfied grin that spread completely across her face, nearly consuming her as she swayed back and forth and purred out against the human's lips. She wanted more. She wanted to kiss her forever, she loved kissing her.

"Ooh, gosh that was amazing." She stretched the words excitedly. "Now, what did you want to discuss?" Her mood seemed to change immediately after being kissed. She no longer seemed preoccupied with it.

Bethany shook her head and laughed as she pulled away and stared back through the cave, her sister and Varric both still staring at the two of them in shock. She knew that she would not only have to speak with Merrill about where their relationship stood, but she would also have to speak with her sister about things now. It was going to be a long conversation.

"We can talk about it after we rescue this child."

Skipping behind the other woman, Merrill insisted upon talking about it now. "After you made such a fuss about it, don't be silly, let's talk about it now. If it isn't my snoring than—" She paused to think about what else it could possibly be. "—Is it my purring? Or perhaps it's the drool?"

"Merrill, I promise it is not something that you did wrong."

"Oh." She paused and glanced down at her toes, wiggling them as she walked and thought about what it could be. "Then, was it something that I did right? Or possibly something that you did wrong? Oh, where would I even begin?" She sighed.

"I beg your pardon, what do you mean by that?" Bethany asked, raising an eyebrow at the elf that was now wearing the most devious and all-knowing grin that the human had ever seen. Usually she looked so innocent and naïve, but currently, she looked absolutely diabolical. _'Is she implying that I have done something wrong?' _

"Well, there are just so many things that you do wrong Bethany, right Varric?" She asked playfully, giggling like a child playing a prank on someone. It was obvious that she was joking, but it still served to worry Bethany who was now staring between the two of them.

"Right, Daisy." He agreed.

"Such as?" Bethany asked, catching playful green eyes with serious hazel.

"Oh, I don't know." Merrill grinned before wrapping her thin arms around the other woman's waist, kissing her gently on her exposed shoulder. Smiling, she whispered against her neck in a very sensual uncharacteristic manner. "Deny the woman who loves her those sweet lips of hers, for a start. Can I have another kiss?"

It seemed that she had not given up her pleading after all.

Bethany found that she did not mind.

D

Authors Note:

Another chapter for y'all! I hope that you all enjoy it. Please do tell me what you think!

Thank you for reading!

-Tracy Cook


	5. Safety in Unsettlement

For The Love Of Magic

By: TracyCook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creator of Dragon Age 2.

Couple: Merrill/Bethany

Rating: M

Chapter 5

Safety in Unsettlement

Merrill was growing extremely impatient, not that she had a large quantity of patience to begin with. She had been begging for her to speak with her about whatever they needed to discuss, and to kiss her, and hanging on her, the entire way through the cave and Bethany could only wish that they were getting close to their destination. She did not know how much more of the pleading that she could handle before she broke down and gave into the other's wishes.

Suddenly, she was drawn out of her thoughts as they finished killing a group of spiders and a young elven female ran through the tunnel toward them.

She had worry in her eyes and written across her face as she spoke. "Who are you?" She was primarily aiming the question at Hawke, who did appear to be the leader of their group. "Please, can you get me out of here? I just want to go home."

Bethany's sister looked her over and concluded that she was the daughter they had come into the caves to rescue. "Your father told us that you were dead."

"My father?" She asked. "Is he safe? Kelder said that he'd hurt my family if I didn't come with him."

Hawke raised a brow at the elf. "Who is Kelder?"

"The man who took me."

She approached the captive and looked her over, inspecting her for any wounds. The others in her party simply watched as she did so, none saying anything. Merrill had her arms wrapped around Bethany's arm, pulling her body closer to her own as she watched the scene. It should have embarrassed her, but it actually served to offer her comfort regarding the situation. Bethany watched to see what her sister would do.

"I do not see any injuries. Are you alright?" She wondered with a concerned tone of voice.

"He hit me and told me that I was nothing. I begged him to stop hurting me. I didn't think that he would, but out of nowhere, he pushed me away and just started crying." She explained. "Don't you see, he didn't mean to hurt me? He told me there are demons; they made him do these horrible things."

'_Demons…' _Bethany thought as she cast her eyes to Merrill, she worried that she too was plagued by demons. Using blood magic involved making deals with the spirits after all.

"What kind of demons? What did they look like?" Hawke asked.

"I don't know what they looked like; I didn't actually see any of them. But, Kelder told me to run, to get away so they couldn't make him hurt me anymore. Please, don't kill him, it's not his fault. Please?" She pleaded with the human warrior to not hurt the man; she did not believe him to be evil.

This too made Bethany think about Merrill. She was curious if she had demons that haunted her, in her reality or even in her dreams, that could one day become a burden on her shoulders. She seemed like such an innocent caring individual, she found it difficult to think that she could be evil. This made her sympathize with the man.

"Sister, perhaps she is correct—"

"—No, do not be a fool Bethany. This Kelder is a dangerous man." She looked to the elf. "If he fights back, I cannot promise that he won't get hurt."

"He won't fight you. I promise."

"Run to the entrance. You will find your father there."

D

Walking into the main room at the bottom of the caves, they found a man who was more than likely Kelder. Ironically he looked a lot like Merrill when they had met her. Huddled up on the ground, staring down at his feet.

As they approached the man he looked up at them. "I knew that my father would eventually send someone. I was hoping the beasts down here would get to me first."

"You wanted those creatures to kill you? Why?" Hawke wondered. She could already tell that something was strange about this situation. She herself did not suffer from the curse of magic, but having a sister that did, she fully understood that there were consequences that came with the gift if it were used incorrectly.

"It is what I deserve. I should be torn apart and forgotten down here, not protected by my father."

"The magistrate sent me; I have never even met your father."

"He didn't tell you, did he?" Kelder asked with a slight laugh of disbelief. "The magistrate is my father. He's tried so hard to keep me, and what I have done, hidden away."

They all appeared shocked by this news. "The magistrate is supposed to protect the people of this city and that includes the elves." Bethany spat angrily at the man as she wrapped her arms protectively around Merrill. She already had her reasons for hating the magistrate, this only added to them, but still she could understand protecting someone that you love no matter the cost. She did not love Merrill as of yet, but she was falling for her, and she knew that the time would come.

The time when the darkness would undoubtedly consume her, even if only for a minute, and she did not know what she would do when that time came.

So, who was she to judge the magistrate for protecting his son?

"My father is a great man." Kelder assured Bethany. "He tried to help, to stop me. But, he can't. No one can. That elf girl, she had no right to be so beautiful. So perfect. The demon said that she needed to be taught a lesson, like all of the others. The circle was supposed to help me, but they lied, they said that there were no demons, that I was simply mad. They said that this was my fault."

"Let me get this straight." Hawke said as she paced in front of the man. "You torture and murder elven children for being too beautiful? Is that right?"

"I-I didn't want to hurt them. They force me; the demons don't like it when they cry."

"The elven girl said that you told her to run. Why?"

"I was, crying, and she asked me if I was alright. After everything that the demons made me do to her, she was concerned about me. How could I let them destroy something so good? So pure?"

"It is obvious that you are not well, you need help." Hawke told the man.

"No! I am not mad, it is the demons! I can't stop I have tried so many times. Please, you have to kill me, there is no other way. Please, tell my father that I am sorry for everything."

"Please, allow us to help you. I am sure that there is someone who could rid you of these demons that you speak of, we have mages here with us." She nodded toward Bethany and Merrill, but as Kelder looked over at the elven woman his eyes darkened and his body shook. Something was amiss.

"Get her away from me! The demons, they will surely hurt her!" He shouted out.

Green eyes widened and Merrill glanced to Bethany who wore a worried expression as she stood in front of her defensively. She was not going to allow anyone to cause the woman she cared for harm. "You stay away from her!" She shouted out.

"I will try, but you must kill me! Please, I fear what I will do if you allow me to live."

"Sister, I think that we should do as he asks."

"I fear that it may be the only way…" Hawke whispered out sadly. She did not wish to hurt this man, he seemed to feel terrible for everything that he had done, but she had to protect the elven mage for her sister's sake. She did not quite understand what Bethany felt toward Merrill, but she knew that it was something romantic in nature. Drawing her blade she readied herself and then forced it deep into his chest.

She worried what the magistrate would do when he found out that she had murdered his son and killed the Templars.

The punishment would not be light.

D

On their way back to the city, they had stopped to set up camp. Bethany was completely on edge as she stood beside the fire, warming her hands, hazel eyes glancing around the campsite. She knew that this was only the calm before the storm. Merrill still wanted to speak with her about their relationship and her sister had been hinting speaking with her about the very same thing.

Luckily, Merrill and Varric were on watch duty for the moment, so she only had to deal with one of them.

Sadly, it was her sister.

"So, this thing between you and Merrill, what is it exactly?" Hawke asked, standing beside her and looking into the fire. Bethany turned and watched the flames dance in her sister's blue eyes.

She bit down on her bottom lip and searched for an answer to the question, but she really did not have one. "Honestly?"

"Yes."

"I do not know what these feelings are that I share with Merrill."

She searched Bethany's eyes for the truth and she found that she was being honest with her. She was obviously conflicted about these newfound feelings and Hawke did not wish to make it harder on her, but she did wish to help her understand that there were flaws in her plan. "She seems to believe that you two are in love with each other."

"Yes, I am aware, but that is not the case."

"Oh, I am certain of that." Hawke paused, watching as the flames danced. "You two hardly even know each other, you just met. How can you possibly harbor feelings for her?"

"I do not really know how to explain it, sister. She just—she understands me. Magic is a dark force filled with temptations, it is neither evil nor good, but it is a constant struggle to control and she understands that. That is not something that I have ever had with anyone in our family. I was always different then you all."

"I know, and I am sorry, I wish that I could have understood what you were going through, but Merrill." She sighed. "She is tempted by the darkness is she not?"

Bethany did not say anything, but her silence was answer enough for the other woman.

"I thought so. That was blood magic that she used to save you, wasn't it? Legends teach of the darkness that comes with it and I have seen it first hand, deals made with spirits, with demons, that eventually consume their host. Is that something that you wish to fall in love with? An abomination?"

"She is not an abomination." Bethany growled out, glaring at her sister as her body started to shake. She knew why Hawke was worried, and she understood that she was protective of her, but Merrill was not too far down the wrong path to be saved. She was not yet consumed by the darkness.

"Not yet."

"Not ever, I think that I can save her. Having a positive influence in her life may be just what she needs."

"Sister, I just wish for you to be careful is all. I know how you are when it comes to mages, you wish to believe that they are all good, but some of them are not what they appear."

"I am aware, and I thank you for your concern, but Merrill is a good person and I wish to start a relationship with her."

"Then I will support you in your endeavors."

"Thank you, sister."

D

Authors Note:

The next chapter will be when the romance truly begins. Merrill and Bethany will have the talk, it will delve a little more into Merrill's home and her past, and how deep into blood magic that she actually is, as well as have some intimacy. It should be fun.

Thank you all for reading! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, even though it was simply a storyline filler before the romance.

Y'all are amazing! Leave me some reviews if you wish for me to add another chapter tomorrow! :)

-Tracy Cook


	6. I Would Never Hurt You

For The Love Of Magic

By: TracyCook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to the creator of Dragon Age 2.

Couple: Merrill/Bethany

Rating: M

Chapter 6

I Would Never Hurt You

Bethany watched the flames flickering in the darkness, she watched as they separated before twisting into smoke. She had always been fascinated with fire. That was probably the reasoning for it being her favorite type of magic. She understood the power of Blood Magic, but was not daring enough to mess with the darkness that it brought with it, and she could see the benefits of healing magic, but ultimately she loved Fire.

Everyone else at the campsite was sleeping, everyone aside from Merrill who was sitting beside her and watching the flames in silence, as well.

The silent air surrounding them was slightly awkward. Weighed down with heavy questions, confusion, and contemplation, neither woman knew what to say or how to begin the conversation. Bethany could see Merrill's thin hands fidgeting uncomfortably out of the corner of her eyes and it made her feel guilty. She was the one who had requested that they talk and now she had no idea what to say to the elven woman.

After a few more minutes, Merrill could no longer handle the quietness and she asked. "So, earlier you were quite insistent about discussing something far more important than kissing me, would you like to do that now? Oh goodness, I apologize, perhaps you had wanted to wait, I knew that I should have waited for you to speak." She rambled out uncomfortably. Merrill was honestly terrified about the conversation they were about to have, she had no idea what to expect.

"I'm sorry." She added with a soft smile and a glance toward Bethany.

Merrill started to kick her feet against the log that they were sitting on as she waited impatiently for Bethany to speak. When the human mage still did nothing to start the conversation, she found herself growing anxious again. Leaning forward on the log she looked directly at Bethany, catching her hazel eyes with large green. "Are you ready to talk yet?"

Bethany smiled but she still seemed to be searching for words.

"Alright, you are scaring me Bethany. Just please promise it is not something that I have done wrong. I always seem to ruin everything. My own clan didn't want me, my friends, and my family, now you. I just, I really want you to want me. Oh my I can't believe that I just said that, why must I ramble so?" She asked more to herself than to Bethany as a blush started to taint her pale skin and the tips of her ears.

"Merrill it is nothing that you have done wrong, we simply need to discuss where we are planning on taking this relationship." She informed to Merrill's relief, although this did perplex the young elf. She did not understand why humans had to discuss everything. It was obvious where she wanted their relationship to go.

"I feel that it may be obvious, but I would like to be with you romantically." Merrill stated with a smile as she cocked her head to the side and studied Bethany's face closely. "Are all humans so "talk-y" about things that are so obvious?"

Bethany's eyes sparkled at the word that Merrill had made up in order to describe humans and their need to speak about everything to the point of exhaustion. She found herself laughing as she turned to look at the adorable elven woman. "Yes, I suppose that we are rather "talk-y," as you so cleverly called it." She paused allowing her voice to grow more serious in nature, although she was still smiling. "Still, a relationship is a very important thing Merrill and I do not wish to simply rush into one."

"Alright, well, since you are the one who is worried about being with me, what is it that YOU want?" Merrill wondered curiously.

"I want to take it slow." Bethany answered honestly, watching as the other woman's face fell at her words. She could tell that she was disappointed with the news. "I have never been in a relationship with a woman before and I have not dated or been intimate with a man in years."

"I see. Well, would it make you feel more comfortable if I informed you that I have yet to be in a relationship or intimate with anyone at all?" Bethany blushed a little and nodded softly, looking down at her hands. It did make her feel more comfortable knowing that she was less experienced than herself. At least she would not embarrass herself once they were intimate. "But, I would absolutely love it if you were my first." Merrill added in a straightforward manner, her grin spreading from one ear to the other.

"I—um—I am flattered that you would say something like that, and uh—of course I do want to be your—um—"

"—but we are taking it slow." She said, stretching the word 'slow' playfully. She loved teasing Bethany and watching her blush and stammer away. It was one of the most adorable things to witness on the planet.

Bethany looked away, still attempting to control her embarrassment. "It isn't that I do not wish to be intimate with you, Merrill. Trust me, I do. I would just like to get to know you a bit better emotionally first, perhaps take you out on a date or two and court you."

"A date?!" Merrill exclaimed, her green eyes brightening considerably and her voice full of wonder at the thought. She had never been taken out on a date before. "How exciting!"

Bethany started to laugh at her excitement. Her heart racing as she thought about taking the beautiful elf out on a date. There were so many places that she wanted to show her, so many things that she wanted to learn about her, she too found that she was growing excited at the endless possibilities. She was terrified to admit it, but she already had strong feelings for Merrill. It just seemed far too soon.

"We have a long trip back to town tomorrow; you two should get some rest." Hawke interrupted their conversation.

Bethany jumped and let out a yelp as she turned and looked into the scolding eyes of her sister. She could tell that despite having given her blessing, she was not happy with their romantic involvement. It was not because she was a woman, nor was it that she was a mage; it was that Hawke sincerely believed that Merrill was lost to the darkness. Bethany refused to believe that though. She knew that she could save her.

"Yes sister." Bethany agreed, nodding her head and watching as her sister returned to her tent.

Suddenly, she heard what sounded a lot like Merrill's laughter. Turning to look at the other, her hazel eyes widened at what she saw. The elf was chuckling madly into her hand and staring directly at her amusedly.

"Whatever are you laughing at?"

"You." Merrill stated with some more laughter.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You just looked so cute! You jumped and let out this adorable sound that almost sounded like a little kitten whining for her mother, it was precious really. Please, do it again?"

"I will not!" Bethany insisted stubbornly. She was appalled that Merrill would ask her to repeat such an embarrassing sound. She had not meant to make the sound in the first place, the last thing that she wanted to do was reenact it.

"Oh please, just once?"

"No."

"I promise to give you lots of kisses in return." Merrill offered.

"I believe that it is time to get some rest." Bethany said as she stood to her feet and started toward her sleeping bag. She hated to admit it, but she loved that Merrill found her cute. It made her feel special and loved which was a feeling she was not all too familiar with. She loved her sister, but it did get difficult always living in her shadows.

Merrill agreed and Bethany assumed that she had parted ways with her in order to head to her sleeping area, but as she reached her sleeping bag she turned and realized that the elven woman was still standing behind her staring at her with eager eyes.

"Could I possibly sleep with you again, Bethany?"

"That depends." She stated, crossing her arms and looking Merrill over suspiciously. "Are you going to mind your manners and remain innocent throughout the evening?"

"Of course, when have I not minded my manners?" Merrill asked with a devious grin.

"All too often. I know that I will regret this, but yes you may sleep with me again. Seriously though, no funny business."

"Whatever could you mean?" She asked in a sing-song voice as she danced around in a circle before plopping down on the sleeping bag and smiling up at her girlfriend.

"You know exactly what I mean."

D

Bethany stared up at the stars and smiled contentedly as she stroked her fingers down Merrill's long thin neck. She enjoyed the way that the other woman would shiver with each stroke and let out soft hums of approval, occasionally she would even purr. It made her feel like she loved her touch and that made her happy.

She loved touching Merrill. Probably too much for someone who was attempting to take it slow in a relationship.

Merrill tightened her grip on Bethany and planted a few soft kisses along her neck and exposed shoulder, before nuzzling into her neck with her nose. Bethany blushed as she felt those perfect lips against her exposed skin, such simple contact caused her entire body to shake and heat up with need and desire, it was a new feeling, an exciting feeling, and also a terrifying feeling.

"I don't think that Hawke likes me very much." Merrill stated in a sleepy whisper. Exhaustion was taking a toll on her body.

"She likes you." Bethany insisted.

"Then why is she so against me dating her sister?"

"She is just overly protective of me is all; she has always been that way. She has always had to be that way. With myself, mother, and Carver. It was difficult watching him pass for all of us and I think that she just wants to make certain I am always safe."

"I would never hurt you Bethany. Does she think that I would hurt you, oh goodness, do you think that I would hurt you?" She asked worriedly, but she was quickly soothed as she felt Bethany run her finger over her long ear.

"She is not worried that you will hurt me. She is worried about the powers that you possess, certain deals that you have made with the spirits. My sister is very skeptical about magic and quite honestly, so am I."

"I see." Merrill said softly.

"But, I already informed her that you are not like the others, you are a kind soul. I see that every time that I look at you, and I know that you would never hurt me."

"I swear to you I won't." She stated a little apprehensively as she traced her fingers over Bethany's collarbone, smiling softly as she thought about her words. Sometimes, Merrill scared herself, but she knew that she had control over the darkness. It had not changed her, it would not consume her.

"I know that you won't."

D

Authors Note:

I hope that you all enjoy this! Please do tell me what you think of it. :) I will try and get the next chapter out soon!

Thank you all for reading.

-Tracy Cook


End file.
